A Father's Love
by DeliciousNewYork
Summary: Ron and Hermione are going to have a baby in the midst of a desperate situation. Will Ron be ready for fatherhood?


Ron attempted to open his eyes, however his right one proved difficult as he found it to be swollen shut. From what he gathered from the left he was wandless and in the middle of nowhere. The only company he had in his new surroundings was his very pregnant, yet very unconscious wife.

"Hermione," he gently shook her, "Hermione wake up."

She slowly came to and the sight of her husbands face made her momentarily forget the hell they had just lived through.

"Darling," she said with all the strength she could muster, which wasn't much.

"Are you alright? Is everything alright?" he asked as he placed a loving hand over her belly.

"I think so," she said looking around in an attempt to asses the situation. "Oh my God! Where are we?"

"Wherever the death eaters sent us. It's not all that pleasant by the looks of it."

Ron's description was, if anything, optimistic. They had been dropped square in the middle of a vast desert. There was not a soul to be found for miles and miles. In the years after the defeat of Voldemort Ron and Hermione were married and became aurors, hunting down remaining deatheaters. Bellatrix was still at large and her most recent crime was the disappearance of Ron and Hermione Weasley.

"Where are our wands?" Hermione asked as Ron helped her to her feet.

"I don't know. She must have taken them when we were knocked out."

A large gust of wind created a howl that only emphasized the desperateness of their situation.

"This is all my fault" Ron muttered under his breath.

"Don't say that. She attacked us at home. It was a surprise to both of us, what could you have done?"

"It was _our_ home. It's my job to protect you and I failed! I told you, I'm not ready for this! I'm a terrible husband and I know I'll make a terrible father!" he cried out. His frustration wasn't directed at her even though his volume was. Hermione knew better and lovingly approached him.

"We'll find a way out of this. _Together_. And when we do you'll make a wonderful father."

Ron was temporarily comforted but the fear of fatherhood still loomed in the back of his mind.

They decided to head for what looked like a tree on the distant horizon. Whether it was real or a mirage, they didn't care. It gave them something to strive for and that was truly all they had.

It felt like hours later when Hermione suddenly stopped.

"Oh my God, Ronald." Her hands were clasped over her stomach. She didn't have to say anything more, the look in her eyes was enough.

"Oh shit, oh _shit, _oh SHIT!" he stammered, "It's…it's time?"

She cried out in pain, "Oooh, I'd say so."

Unable to withstand the pain, she got down on the ground and resumed her screaming.

"Oh shit, you're going to have to talk me through this, oh shit!" Ron whimpered as his mind zipped in and out of reality.

When he first found out he'd be a father, his fears were comprised of things like 'will I be able to wake up that early in the morning?' or 'can I give my baby the things it deserves?' He certainly never expected he would have to fear for the very life of his wife and child, and he certainly never believed he'd be delivering his own baby.

Hours and hours later, Ron was extremely thankful that his wife was so well-read because he was sitting there with his wife and brand new baby boy.

"I was thinking of Arthur," Hermione said as she looked down lovingly at her child.

Ron immediately thought of his father who had fallen in the final battle. He felt tears coming to his eyes, "I think that'd be great."

"Welcome to the world Arthur," he cooed.

Night fell and Hermione slept leaning on Ron, with Arthur in her arms. Ron, however, was not enjoying a good night's sleep. The once lonely desert was now alive with the sound of nearby coyotes. He knew that the smell around them was attracting them and he suddenly snapped into a primitive state.

"Hermione wake up" he almost growled as he shook her. There was no response.

His heart raced at the possible implications and checked for a pulse. It was terribly weak and her skin was cold to the touch. The coyotes growled as they closed in on their target and Arthur began to cry.

"Shut up! Shut up! Goddamnit shut up!" he yelled out in wild frustration as he shook the defenseless infant.

The crying stopped. The deadly silence brought him back to reality.

"Oh my God….what have I done?"

The feel of the limp body in his arms washed out the last humane quality within him and he turned to face his fellow wild animals that now threatened what was left of his family.

Gnarling his teeth, Ron prepared for a battle for territory.

Hermione opened her eyes only to have them blinded by the bright morning sun. She felt as though she had passed out, little did she know how right she was. Her heart stopped when she noticed that Arthur's little body was no longer occupying her arms. She became frantic.

"Ron! Ron, where's Arthur?! Where is –."

She stopped and was rendered speechless when she saw Ron crouched over little Arthur's remains with a blood smeared mouth.

The horror of it all was too much for her and she passed out once again.

Ron went back to fulfilling his basic survival needs as the coyotes watched on, hoping for a few of the scraps.


End file.
